Parsippany man involved in murder-suicide was Bloomfield graduate

By Jeff Frankel

Staff Writer |

Bloomfield Life

Friends of Bloomfield native Chester Andraka said they are shocked about his and his wife's death.

On Monday, police found the couple dead in their home on Medford Road in Parsippany. According to Acting Morris County Prosecutor Fredric Knapp, Rosaria Andraka, 43, died of gunshot wounds, and Chester Andraka, 46, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Chester was a 1984 graduate of Bloomfield High School, said Karen Delli Santi, who lives in West Caldwell. They both grew up together on Bloomfield's Baldwin Street.

"He was always a good kid in school. He would do anything for you," Delli Santi told Bloomfield Life. "I don't think I ever even heard him curse."

She said she "saw him all the time" at Caldwell Flowerland, owned by her and her husband. Chester was a retired Caldwell police officer. She said she saw Chester with his wife at class reunions, with nothing remiss.

"They were a great couple. They were kind of soul mates," said Delli Santi. "It's like a bad movie. Who wrote this ending?

"His wife was absolutely wonderful inside and out. And the kids are great," she said.

Their two children are in college, she added.

Bloomfield Det. Sgt. John Sierchio said he spoke to his friend Chester two weeks ago, with no signs of trouble. Sierchio discussed pensions with Chester. Sierchio is a member of the Police Fire Retirement Systems Pension Board.

"He really was a great guy. Very educated; he had a master's degree," Sierchio said. "I think he was in a good financial position. He was just telling me about his great job.

"Unfortunately you never know what's going on behind closed doors."

Chester most recently worked security at Novartis Pharmaceuticals and was an adjunct professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University. His wife was an honors program administrator at FDU.

Someone alerted police when Chester failed to show up at work on Monday. After observing a body on a couch through a window, police forcibly entered the home.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. Email: frankel@northjersey.com.

Parsippany man involved in murder-suicide was Bloomfield graduate

By Jeff Frankel

Staff Writer |

Bloomfield Life

Friends of Bloomfield native Chester Andraka said they are shocked about his and his wife's death.

On Monday, police found the couple dead in their home on Medford Road in Parsippany. According to Acting Morris County Prosecutor Fredric Knapp, Rosaria Andraka, 43, died of gunshot wounds, and Chester Andraka, 46, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Chester was a 1984 graduate of Bloomfield High School, said Karen Delli Santi, who lives in West Caldwell. They both grew up together on Bloomfield's Baldwin Street.

"He was always a good kid in school. He would do anything for you," Delli Santi told Bloomfield Life. "I don't think I ever even heard him curse."

She said she "saw him all the time" at Caldwell Flowerland, owned by her and her husband. Chester was a retired Caldwell police officer. She said she saw Chester with his wife at class reunions, with nothing remiss.

"They were a great couple. They were kind of soul mates," said Delli Santi. "It's like a bad movie. Who wrote this ending?

"His wife was absolutely wonderful inside and out. And the kids are great," she said.

Their two children are in college, she added.

Bloomfield Det. Sgt. John Sierchio said he spoke to his friend Chester two weeks ago, with no signs of trouble. Sierchio discussed pensions with Chester. Sierchio is a member of the Police Fire Retirement Systems Pension Board.

"He really was a great guy. Very educated; he had a master's degree," Sierchio said. "I think he was in a good financial position. He was just telling me about his great job.

"Unfortunately you never know what's going on behind closed doors."

Chester most recently worked security at Novartis Pharmaceuticals and was an adjunct professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University. His wife was an honors program administrator at FDU.

Someone alerted police when Chester failed to show up at work on Monday. After observing a body on a couch through a window, police forcibly entered the home.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. Email: frankel@northjersey.com.